Sofa, so profitable

The 12-sided £1 coin is entering circulation next month, which means readers have until October 15 to use all their old round ones – if they can find them. A dive into the innards of the sofa could prove surprisingly profitable.

Back in 2011, a charity shop manager in Rugby found an envelope containing £1,305 in bank notes between the cushions of a two-seater that had recently been donated. In 2014, three students in New York found $40,000 in cash in their sofa, which they had bought from the Salvation Army for $20. In both cases, the money was reunited with its rightful owner.

The Government estimates that frugal Britons have £433 million in £1 coins squirreled away, so it’s time to start rummaging. The humble sofa may hide a glorious treasure trove.